Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-05-05
MaRTINsBuRc, W. VA, THURsDAY, MAY 5, 1ss7 Il. II.
After = two. hours journey over hflla

{ After y two hours journey over hill
and through woods, with frequent pleas
ant glimpses Of the sea and the surround
inc islands, we arrived 1t the first posi-
station. Here we had substantial fore
tfst6 Of the many trials Of patience IN store
for, us Only four troikas. or teams soi
three horses, were kept at this station fol
government posting purposes, and 1--WE
were therefore more grieved than surprised
! toi learn that we had fourteen hours ia
wait before proceeding on our journey.
TIE delay, however, afforded us an OPP
p6ftunity OF studying more closely thu
science of sledge packing, and having or
dered the eternal samovaru-the handy
tea urn which IS every Russians almost
ilssepafable companion I'VE made our.
sslves as comfortable as the circumstances
permitted At o'clock in the morning
q little before the fourteen hours expired
the grateful sound OF Harvesting horses
struck upon our ears; and q few minutes
litter three sledges, our own, with -four
horses attached, bringing up the rear,
were toiling up steep hill In the midst 81
the black night. II requifes p certain
amount Of practice to sleep in 3 sledge on
4 rough, hilly Ffoad, with the knowledgt
that every two oEithree hours ,sOr less, one
must alight at station, ascertain and
pay the fare for the next stage, select and
present to the yemstchik % pourbOire In
accordance with his deserts, see fresh
horses harnessed, and repack oneself II
the vehicle; and for the. firsts night Ger.
tainly the novelty. OF Our situation drove
all thoughts Of sleep from our heads.
Soon we found ourselves sIedging,
though but for d short distance, on the
frozen sea- 1t was q curious sensation tc
be for the first time on 3 heavy sledge over
d. D water; sandlsit Wasd difficult to prevent
the MUD from specializing on the probable
results Of q crash through the Tee. Thk
three sledges, however, made ting passage
in safety, and soon afterward drew up al
the NlonclN post Nstationyuf Tigrpva, Be
callStl bucnhseft II In the midst of d favor
It'll haunt VI lie hrge tigers which infes
the easteru cotst Il 'Asiatic Russia. These
animals are n0t iifrcauehtlg net by trav
elers ON the post roads of the maritime
province; but having plentiful supply OF
deer's meat always within reach, theJ
rarely attack men unless they are them
selves attAckea 6rsta wFWWRWmwR
The sheltcring hills ofg Yladivostock
werc now left fan behind, end thk differ
ence I'M temperature became very pefceptt
BILE. Tho thermometer fell for the first
time below zero. The interior Of Oui
yiedge h0otl became Whitewith hoar frost
and overy heavy Jolt Brought down on oti
hsads az ininiatufe snowfall; two lons
iciclcs suspended themselves from my COM
panion's mustache, and effected junction
with the collar of his shuba, while thu
long hairY OF, the horses became covered
with frozcn perspiration. No difficulty wa:
now expeficncedEi Do Obtaining horses and
waiting just long anOugh at each station
TO exch ange our tired beasts for fresh ONES,
and twicet snatch hasty meals, we pushed
on for the Khanka lake. Through pretty
county, eonstaiitlys ascending and de-
seendih9 steep ill, we glide along, some
times fast, sometimes slow, the speed vary
ing in direct proportion to the energy Of
the yernstGhik and the strength Of his
H Pans rTf l1TilY III VI